Whiffletree-coupling.



No. 817,335. PATENTED APR. 10, 1906. J. R. PRING. WHIPFLETREE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED An 17 1905 S ATT FlltlF WHiFFLETREE-COUPLHNG..

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteci April 10, 1906.

Application filed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 255,934.

To a/Z whom zit 'n1/tty concern:

Beit known that l, JOHN R. PRING, a citi Zen of the United States,residing at Shawnee, in the county of Pottawatomie and Territory ofOklahoma, have invented a certain new and useful Whiffletree-Ooupling,of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to couplings for whiffletrees and the like, theobject in view being to provide a coupling of the class described whichmay be used to connect a doubletree to the pole or tongue of a vehicleor to connect a swingletree to the doubletree or the crossbar of thillsor shafts, the construction involving novel means whereby one of themain members of the coupling is permitted to have a limited amount ofpivotal movement relative to the other member to allow for the movementsof the drafta'nimals, while at the same time dispensing with the usualstay-straps employed for that purpose.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the members of thecoupling that the means for limiting their relative pivotal movementwill be concealed and also protected in such manner that all wearingparts of the coupling members are kept clean and free from exposure tothe weather, as well as dust, dirt, and other foreign matter, thusmaterially increasing the life and durability of the coupling as awhole.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the members of thecouplinfr that the bearing-surface thereof is enlarger from that of thesmall bolt, as in ordinary couplings, to the extent that the width ofthe central portion of the doubletree or swingletree will just cover thefrictioinsurface and enable the doubletree or swingletree to act as ashield and exclude dust and dirt from the bearingsurface, thusincreasing the life and durability of the coupling members. By theconstruction hereinafter described one of the members may be partiallyturned upon the other' member and the disk washer also adjusted byturning the same, so as to obtain a new bearing between the parts orbring a new bearing-surface into use, thus further adding to the lifeand durability of the coupling as a whole.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the coupling membersas to overcome the tendency to bend the coupling-bolt and enable alarger coupling-bolt to be used without weakening or impairing thestrength of the doubletree or swingletree.

With the above and other obJects 1n vlew,

the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds,the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as herein fully described, illustrated, andclaimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section through apair of couplings embodying the present invention, showing the sameapplied to a swingletree and double tree, the latter being shown partlyin elevation and partly in section and the vehicle pole or tongue beingshown in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken at right an*gles to section l in linewith the coupling-bolt. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the disk washer. Fig. 4 is a reverse perspective view of thecrown member of the coupling. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the basemember of the coupling for the pole or tongue. F lgs. 6 and 7 areperspective views of the crown and base members7 respectively, of thecoupling modiiied with special reference to their use between adoubletree and swingletree. Fig. t5 is a detail view showing abuffer-spring usedin connection with the stoplugs of the base member,

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figuresof the draww ings.

ln the drawings, l designates a pole or tongue, 2 a doubletree, and 3 aswingletree, said parts being related in the usual manner.

'4 represents a plate secured to the top of the doubletree and providedwith a stud 5, which is received in an opening in the usual brace orstrap 6, connected to the tongue.

The coupling of this invention as applied between the pole anddoubletree embodies a base member 7 and a crown member 8, the saidmembers being connected pivotally by a bolt 9 and disk washer,hereinafter described. The base member 7 is provided with a raisedcircular bearing-boss l() and with extensions l l, reaching fore andaft, and formed with holes l2 to receive suitable bolts or fastenerswhereby the member is secured to the upperside of the pole. The basemember is also provided with upstanding stoplugs 13, located at oppositesides of the bearing-boss l0, the purpose of which will appear.

The crown member 8 has a circular seat or bearing-surface 14, whichrests and works upon the bearing-boss 10, and is surrounded IOO IOS

IIO

by an annular ange 15, .which acts as a guard to keep out the weatherand dirt and other foreign matter, thus keeping the parts of the bearingclean. Extending outward from the flangel are wings 16, which when thecoupling members are properly associated are located on opposite sidesof the lugs 13 and act as stop-shoulders in connection with said lugs tolimit the turning movement ofthe crown member within the proper bounds,thus dispensing with the usual staystraps used for the same purpose. Themember 8 is provided with extensions 17, similar to those 11 of the basemember, and provided with holes 18 to receive bolts or other fastenersfor securing the member 8 to the under side of the doubletree.

The crown member 8 is provided with a central circular opening 19, andthe upper side of said member is rabbeted around said opening, as shownat 20, to form a seat or recess in which is placed a disk Washer 21, theupper surface of whichis substantially Hush with the correspondingsurface of the crown member, as shown. Said washer is provided on itslower side with a circular boss 22, which extends through the centralopening 19 and bears directly on the boss 10, being iirmly held againstthe same by the bolt 9, the head of which is received flush in therecess 23 in the upper side of the washer 21. The crown member is thusleft free to turn easily upon the base member and disk-washer withoutliability of binding. The bolt openings in the washer 21 and the basemember 7 are preferably square to receive the squared portion ofthebolt-shank and prevent turning of thel same while placing the usual nuton the lower end of the bolt. The base member 7 is also provided withdownwardly projecting studs 24, which fit into sockets in the pole, asshown, to relieve the strain on the securingbolts (shown at 25) and alsothe bolt 9.

The coupling members used between the doubletree and swingletree aresubstantially the same as those hereinabove described, except that thestop-lugs (shown at 27) are curved or segmental to work in segmentalnotches 2S in the crown member S and the base member is disposedlengthwise at right angles to the crown member.

If desired, each ofthe stop-lugs 13 may be provided with a slot or kerf29, in which is fitted the central or connecting portion of a two-armedor U-shaped spring 30, which cushions the impact of the stop-lugsagainst the .shoulders 16. terminal portions of the spring,.more or lessfree play may be given to the crown member of the coupling.

Having described the invention, I claim- 1. In a coupling of the classdescribed, a base member provided with a raised circular bearing-boss, acrown member having a bearing-face resting and working on said boss andprovided with an annular iiange surrounding the boss and furtherprovided with a rabbeted circular opening, a disk washer removablyfitted in said rabbeted opening and provided with a circular boss whichprojects through the crown member and rests on the bearing-boss of thebase member, and a bolt passing through the disk washer and basememberand having its head seated flush in a recess in the disk washer.

2. In a coupling of the class described, a base member provided with araised bearingboss and stop-lugs located at opposite sides thereof, acrown member working on said base and having an annular ange whichembraces the boss, a bolt, a disk washer pivot ally connecting saidmembers and recessed to receive the head of said bolt, and wingsextending outward from saidv iiange and lying on opposite sides of thestop-lugs, said wings forming stop-shoulders which coperate with thestop-lugs to limit the pivotal movement of the members.

3. In a coupling of the class described, base and crown membersconnected for relative pivotal movement, cooperating lugs and shoulderson said members for limiting such relative pivotal movement, and one ormore spring-buers associated with the limiting means, substantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN R. PRING.

Witnesses:

PALIA HUDSON, WILLIAM S. JoHNsToN.

By bending the arms or

